One Night
by inevitablyxme
Summary: Gabe Saporta is the most obnoxious man that Emma has ever met...
1. Chapter 1

"You're the most obnoxious man I've met in my entire life," I rolled my eyes, pushing him out of my way.  
"That's the nicest thing anyone's _ever _said to me," he sighed, pulling my hand and wheeling me roughly against him. I groaned, unable to stop the sudden exhale.  
"Don't moan like that when you're pressed against me, senorita, I might get the wrong idea."

I escaped his grip, making my way back to the bus to find someone sane. Being around Gabe made _me _lose my mind. I heard him following closely behind, though he was suspiciously quiet. I stomped up the bus steps, quickly claiming the only available seat, next to Suarez. Everyone in the lounge smirked at Gabe as he sat, without hesitation, on my lap.  
"Gabe," I whined.  
"I love when she says my name," he ruffled my hair.

I couldn't stand Gabe. He was loud, and rude, and inconsiderate, and belligerent… I could go on and on. 99% of the time he was drunk off his ass, making him even more of a dickhead than he already was. He failed to take responsibility for anything, especially his actions. I saw him as an overgrown child. Though he was 7 years my senior, it seemed as though I were the older of us two. I was close with everyone in Cobra except for Gabe, and I usually avoided him at all costs. I hated to admit it, but even though I couldn't stand him, part of me was intimidated by him. He was a big personality, something I'd never been able to handle very well.

"Oh, you two," said Victoria, rolling her eyes playfully.  
"Will you please control your lead singer?" I asked, pushing him into the floor.  
He whined, rubbing his tailbone as he got to his feet. "Kiss it and make it better?"  
He swung his hips around, pushing his butt into my face. I slapped it, hard, and smirked as he winced at the pain. Surprisingly, he quieted down and instead leaned against the door jamb as conversation struck up.

Ryland and I were so close we were practically brother and sister, and I'd gotten close to his bandmates as well. He finally decided it was time for me to join on tour, and sure enough everyone else, including Gabe, agreed. I had made up my mind that the only reason Gabe was so enthusiastic about me joining tour was so he could harass me the entire time, but that was a relatively small price to pay for such a great experience with amazing people. Tour really was like one big family, and I was so happy that I had been included in that family.

We were two weeks into a North American tour, and Gabe was already on my last nerve. Gabe and I had failed to get along since we had first met. The first impression I had ever gotten of him had been backstage at Warped, and he had been belligerently drunk, of course. He catcalled at me, failing to realize who I was, and called me over. After a quick critique of my breasts, he slapped my ass and told me he could make my wildest dreams come true. He had been joking, of course, but it was enough to get my blood boiling. I had failed to see him as anything but crass since.

"What are we gonna do tonight?" asked Nate, taking apart a sandwich and devouring the parts he deemed edible.  
Everyone looked around, and finally Gabe spoke up, "Go out and get wasted, obviously." We all smiled in agreement.

They played another fantastic set. I hated to admit it, but Gabe really had a stage persona like no other. He was so fun and alive, and he really knew how to get the crowd to respond to him. I admired that about him, his stage presence was intoxicating. He brought a smile to your face, even if you thought he was a despicable human being.

My phone began vibrating wildly in my pocket, so I went further backstage to answer.  
"Hello?"  
"Emma?" My heart sunk. It was David.  
"David? Why are you calling me?"  
"I just wanted to see how you are," he said loudly. He was drunk. "I miss you."  
"David you can't be calling me like this. You know that."

"Emma, don't be so stuck up, come on…" I hung up before he could go any further. Before I had time to process what happened, someone slapped me on the ass, and I turned to see Gabe. My anger flared.  
"Goddammit, Gabe Saporta. Can you grow up for one goddamn second and leave me the fuck alone? Are you capable of being an actual human being at all, or are you stuck in a constant state of 'asshole'? You have no regard for anything or anyone around you, and I'm fucking sick of it."  
His eyes went wide, and for a second he looked genuinely afraid of me.  
"Look, I was just…"  
"Just what? Just fucking around. Yeah, I know. That's just the problem…" I stormed off to the bus, unable to meet anyone's eyes as I went.

In my bunk, I finally let out a deep exhale. It felt like I hadn't breathed since I answered the phone. David and I had been really serious, and almost been engaged, until I found out he had been cheating on me for months with one of my best friends. It was a nasty breakup, and something that was fresh and still cut deep. Ryland had invited me on tour so I could move on and focus on something other than my sadness. So far it had worked, until I heard his voice on the phone.

"Emma? Are you here?"  
Ryland pulled my curtain back, smiling sympathetically at me when he saw my tear stained face.  
"I know Gabe gets under your skin, but there's no way that was what set you off. What happened?" he brushed the hair from my face.  
I simply replied, "David called." His face fell, and he placed a hand on my cheek.  
"I'm sorry. Do you want to talk about it?" I shook my head.  
"Well, come out with us tonight, it will do you good to let go."

I walked into the club with Victoria, immediately noticing Gabe at the DJ booth. He winked at me, I simply rolled my eyes and followed Victoria to the bar. After dealing with Gabe all day, and then the call from David, I was more than ready to forget who I was for a while.

A few shots later, I was sitting at the bar with Victoria, laughing at the story an attractive business student was telling us. Someone fidgeted around beside me, and I turned to see Gabe. Instead of making a smartass comment, he smiled softly at me, holding up two fingers at the bartender.

"I'm going to find the guys, see you in a bit," Victoria stood, and then whispered something to Gabe. He seemed mad at first, then nodded and placed a hand on her back as she passed. Gabe quickly took her seat, handing me a drink the bartender had just slid down the bar. I took a tentative sip, making a face.

"What the hell is this?"  
"RedBull and vodka, my specialty," he laughed. We were quiet for a moment, and I idly played with the napkin underneath my drink.  
"Did you really mean what you said today?" He didn't meet my eyes, choosing instead to turn on his stool and face the club around us.  
"What do you mean?"  
"About me… being an asshole. That I don't care about anyone. Did you mean that?"  
I sighed, "Kind of. I was just upset, I shouldn't have blown up like that. But I do think you're too much sometimes. You just don't seem to take responsibility for anything."  
He nodded.

"Emma, I want to change," he said after a beat.  
I replied with a simple, "Good."  
He finally met my eyes, and he had the most sincere expression I had ever seen on his face. It wasn't his usual shit-eating grin, or sarcastic smirk, it was sincere.

Our staring contest was interrupted by a drunken Ryland, who popped between us with a grin on his face.  
"Am I interrupting something?!" Gabe looked at me, waiting to hear my reply as much as Ryland was.  
"No," I answered finally, downing the rest of my drink and standing. "I'm going to find Victoria."

I looked back to see Gabe watching me walk across the club, a soft smile playing on his lips. We both knew very well that Ryland had, indeed, interrupted something. I just hadn't quite figured it out yet.


	2. Chapter 2

I woke with a pounding headache, the movement of the bus underneath me causing a wave of nausea to wash over. After preparing myself, I swung my legs over the bunk and hopped down. Gabe, of course, had made sure I'd gotten a bunk on top. Being the shortest person on the bus, it was needless to say that it caused more problems than I'd like to admit.

"There's the princesa," announced Gabe when I stumbled into the lounge. Everyone rolled their eyes at Gabe's loud voice. It was too early for him to be yelling. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, welcoming me into the lounge area.  
"Rough night?" asked Suarez after I'd pushed Gabe away.  
"Something like that," I glanced in Gabe's direction, and he quickly looked away.

"Day off today, what do you guys wanna do?" asked Tony, the tour manager.  
Gabe asked through a mouth full of cheerios, "You didn't plan anything?"  
"Not really, we can go to the pool at the hotel once we get there."  
"I'm in!" said Victoria quickly.  
I nodded in agreement. "Me too." It would be nice to relax by the pool for a day, without the stress of packing and unpacking all the equipment.

"Just pack basics for the hotel, we're only staying two nights, no need to go crazy and take everything with you." Instructed Tony. Afterward, he muttered a quick, "Less to leave behind…"

Within no time, we had all packed our overnight bags and were pulling into the hotel parking lot. After Tony checked in, and received everyone's keys, everyone quickly picked rooms and roommates. There were only two keys left, each for the same room, and only one other person left without a room.

"Looks like it's you and me, princesa," grinned Gabe, snatching the keys from Tony and handing one to me.  
"Great," I faked enthusiasm.

I groaned in annoyance when I entered the room. Instead of two doubles, as all the rooms were supposed to be, there was only one queen. Gabe and I would either have to share, or one of us would sleep on the floor.  
"You're sleeping on the floor," I said as he hauled his baggage through the door.  
"Wha-" he grinned as he spotted the bed. "Or we could just share. I won't bite… hard."

"Victoria, this is completely ridiculous. Why am I stuck with him, can't we switch rooms?" I whined as we stepped out of the elevator and out the doors to the pool.  
"Nope," she laughed. "It will do you two good to be stuck together, maybe you'll start getting along."  
"Doubtful…"

After twenty minutes of lounging by the pool, the boys finally made their way down, quickly making their way to the water. Gabe jumped in next to Victoria and I, splashing us in the process.

"See, this is why we can't get along," I grumbled, wiping my face with a towel. "He's a child."  
"Yeah, but so are you in a lot of ways. I think you'd really get along if you tried," she said with a sigh.

Later that night, at a club we'd all agreed to go to, I accepted another drink from the cute law school student who I'd spent most of the evening with.  
"I'm going to the bathroom, I'll be right back," he winked at me before making his way through the crowd.  
"He seems boring," Gabe took his seat within seconds.  
"Someone's jealous."  
He scoffed, "Of some boring future lawyer?"

I raised my eyebrows at him.  
"I think you've had enough tonight, princesa," he took my drink from my hands, taking a sip himself. "He's trying to get you drunk, you know? When he ordered your drink he got you a double. Just so you know."  
I wasn't sure whether or not to believe Gabe at first, and then I realized I didn't care. A successful young man had taken a liking to me, and I wasn't about to let Gabe mess it up.  
"Maybe I don't care," I took the drink back from his large hands, gulping it down.

"At least you can handle your liquor," he laughed.  
"Oh, you have no idea."  
"It's on," he said, ordering two shots from the bartender. Three shots later, I was definitely feeling all the alcohol I had consumed, and definitely long forgotten the man who had been sitting in Gabe's place. We took two more shots each, then Gabe decided to go DJ for a while.  
"I'll be back," he said with a wink. It made my stomach flutter a little bit, but I quickly blamed on the alcohol and continued drinking the water Gabe had ordered me.

Two hours later, I was belligerently drunk at the bar, and suddenly found myself wondering where Gabe had gone to. Speak of the devil and he shall appear, because soon enough he appeared at my side.

"Whoa, senorita, you've definitely had enough." He helped to my feet, and I found I could barely stand. After placing a $50 bill on the bar, Gabe led me out the door and called Suarez once we'd gotten outside.

"Hey, dude, I've got Emma, I think we're gonna head back to the hotel. You staying?" He wrapped his free arm around my waist and led me to a taxi that he had hailed. "Okay, see you tomorrow, man."

In the taxi, I sprawled across the back seat, laying my head on Gabe's lap. Without hesitation, he began playing with chunks of my long hair, and was soon enough running his fingers through my scalp.  
"So who's your girlfriend?" I asked him, realizing I didn't even know if he had one or not.  
He laughed, "I don't have a girlfriend. I don't really do relationships anymore."  
"Why, did you get scorned by the love of your life or something?" I joked. His face fell, and I instantly regretted the words I'd just said. "I'm sorry," I said quickly.  
"It's okay," he smiled softly. "It's better this way."

"Maybe she wasn't the love of your life. Maybe she was just preparing you for the girl of your dreams, and that relationship was just practice for when the real thing comes along."  
He sighed, looking out the window as he continued playing in my hair. "I don't know."  
I looked up at him, surveying his hard features. His chiseled jaw line clenched slightly, and I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about. Had he, Gabe Saporta, really been in love? I couldn't imagine it. I couldn't picture him being sweet, and thoughtful, and caring for someone else more than he cared for even himself. But then again, I could.

The past few days, I'd been introduced to a side of Gabe I had never known was even possible. I didn't realize he could have real, deep conversations, or that he would be the type of guy to play with a drunken girl's hair in the back of a taxi while talking about his broken heart. I could see him being a caring, and frankly wonderful, boyfriend. If his hard façade could be broken, Gabe Saporta could be the man I'd never imagined him to be.

I shook the thoughts from my head. I wasn't about to try and change a man, I didn't have the time or patience, and to be honest I wasn't sure he could even be changed.

Once we reached the hotel, I sat up, and he wrapped his warm arms around me once again as we made our way up to the room. Once inside, I quickly grabbed pajamas from my bag and changed in the bathroom. I cuddled into the bed while Gabe changed, right in front of me, and then he looked at me.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not sleeping on the floor," he laughed.  
"Fine," I smiled, moving over so there would be room for the tall Latino man. It was weird to me that he was seven years older than I. Most times, it felt like we were exactly the same age, and not necessarily because he was immature sometimes. Tonight, I'd seen an extremely mature side of Gabe. In the semidarkness, we were both quiet, lost in our own thoughts.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked quietly, turning onto his side and facing me.  
"You," I said simply.  
"What about me?" He laughed.  
"Why didn't you try anything with me tonight? You're sleeping in the same bed as an extremely drunk 23 year old, and yet- nothing."

He asked what I prayed he wouldn't. "Did you want me to?"

I didn't answer, for I was racking my own brain for the answer. _Did _I want something to happen between Gabe and I? Part of me really did, but another part of me knew that the timing wasn't right. If Gabe and I were supposed to be an 'us,' it was supposed to be long term. I felt it. And I needed to be more than a drunken hookup if that were the case.

"No," I answered finally. "No, I don't think so."

He was quiet, and for a moment I thought he had fallen asleep.  
"Emma, I get the feeling you're supposed to be a big part of my life. And I know I'm a pain in the ass sometimes, I just… Just wait for me, okay?"  
I was blown away. Had Gabe really just opened up to me like that? I placed a hand on his cheek, smiling though I knew he couldn't see it.  
"Of course." I kissed the corner of his mouth. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Emma."


	3. Chapter 3

With Cobra playing five shows in five days, in five different cities, everyone on tour barely had time to breathe. There was a constant air of tension and anxiety backstage, as well as before and after shows. Gabe was suffering from vocal strain and, much to my pleasure, on vocal rest any time he wasn't on stage.

He had, however, started carrying around a dry erase board, writing obscene and rude comments everywhere he went. The boys spent the entire first day of the board's existence drawing phallic-shaped images in various colors, shapes, and sizes. I was convinced they were all thirteen years of age.

As I was organizing extension cords to be packed and put away, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Gabe stood there, in all of his flannel-wearing glory, and held the dry erase board up. He was sporting a pitiful pout, and when I read the board I discovered why.

_I think I pulled a muscle in my dick… care to rub it out? _

I gave him a look, not even bothering to answer.  
"Someone needs to take that from you."

He wrote something quickly.  
His messy handwriting read, _But then I couldn't pester you all day. _

"What a shame," I sighed.  
_Everyone's going out again tonight, _he wrote quickly.  
"Yeah, I know. I think I'm gonna stay in, I'm pretty tired," I answered, leaving him onstage alone so that I could get a shower in before all the hot water was gone.

"Guess who's off vocal rest!" yelled Gabe, running up the steps of the bus.  
"I'm sure your voice coach would love to have you screaming like that," I said smartly.  
"I'm sure your voice coach would love to have you screaming like that," he mocked me in a high-pitched voice, one I was almost certain sounded nothing like my own.  
"Mature," I muttered, looking over the magazine Victoria had picked up at a gas station a few hours ago.

"So where are we going tonight?" asked Victoria, looking around expectantly.  
"Let's go to that place we went during Warped, shit what's it called…" Nate frowned, failing to remember the name of the club.  
"Oh yeah! It's that place where we met those twin blondes, right?!" Gabe high-fived Suarez at the memory.  
"Maybe we'll get just as lucky," laughed Nate.  
Victoria piped up, "You guys are disgusting." I nodded in agreement.  
"Whatever, let's get wasted," said Ryland.

Everyone left the bus around 9 that night, after begging me to join them and finally giving up. I was going to enjoy having the bus to myself, I had a hot date with my Netflix account and the ice cream in the freezer. I was also going to take full advantage of the bedroom in the back, which we only used for guests and special occasions. Basically, if anyone was hooking up with someone they got the room. The queen bed was definitely calling my name.

After an episode and a half of Gossip Girl, I heard someone come onto the bus, and quickly paused my computer so I could listen.  
"Emma?" I heard someone call.  
"Back here!"

In seconds, Gabe's face appeared in the doorway, smiling tentatively.  
"Hope I'm not interrupting anything. I'm not really feeling partying tonight."  
"Gabe Saporta not in the mood to get drunk, I thought this day would never come," I laughed, taking a spoonful of ice cream.  
"Ha ha," he replied sarcastically. He stood there a moment, and finally I broke the silence.  
"You wanna join me? You can watch my girly shows with me if you want," I offered. He quickly jumped onto the bed, pulling off his shoes and pants within seconds.  
"Whoa, now," I laughed, pretending to cover my eyes.  
"Shut up," he smacked my arm playfully. "What's the lineup tonight?" He motioned to my computer screen.

I pressed play, and before I had a chance to explain a thing at all, his face lit up.  
"You watch Gossip Girl?! Oh my god, this is literally my favorite show. Chuck and Blair are perfect," he gushed. I looked at him in amusement as he watched the screen eagerly. I couldn't deny that Gabe was handsome. His dark features were complimented by a beautiful head of hair. His eyes sparkled when he got excited, and it was adorable how he spoke twice as fast when he talked about something he was passionate about, namely music.

"I can't believe you watch Gossip Girl," I giggled. "Victoria refuses to watch it with me."  
"Right?!" he began excitedly. "Everyone else in the band makes so much fun of me. Whatever." He pretended to do a hair flip, causing me to roll my eyes.  
His phone buzzed, so I waited while he dug it out of his pocket and looked at the brightly lit screen.  
"I gotta take this," he apologized, smiling quickly at me. I couldn't help but listen in to his side of the conversation as he stood just outside the door in the hall.

"Hey, is everything okay?"  
"Yeah, I guess so…" He seemed so reserved, so quiet, on the phone. He didn't seem himself.  
"Okay, look I'm kind of busy, so I'll call you back tomorrow," he sighed. I couldn't help but smile that he was getting off the phone just to watch television with me. But that didn't overpower my curiosity for who was on the phone. It had definitely affected that Gabe that they called.  
"Okay… Okay, bye."

"Okay," he smiled brightly as he entered the room again, "All set."  
"Everything cool?"  
"Yeah, yeah, it's all good," he nodded, punching my leg. "Press play, fool!"  
I could tell he wasn't telling me the truth, but I didn't want to press my luck and continue asking him about it. I spent the next two episodes trying to figure out what could possibly be wrong with Gabe, he finally took notice of my lack of interest and asked if I wanted him to leave.  
"No!" I said a little too quickly. "No, I just have a lot on my mind right now, that's it. I'm sorry, I'm all here now, promise." He looked at me skeptically, but smiled and didn't ask any more questions.

The episode was paused, giving us both a chance to stretch for a moment.  
"I'm kind of tired of watching this," he admitted, and I gave an internal sigh of relief.  
I nodded, "Yeah, me too. So… what now?"  
"Well," he smirked, "There are only a small number of things we could possibly do back here."  
Smacking his shoulder, I let a small laugh escape. "You perv," I said with a shake of my head.

"Alright, seriously, what do you wanna do?" he sat up.  
I thought for a moment, and then an idea popped into my head. "There was an ice cream place down the street a few blocks, wanna go check it out?"

Within five minutes we had both gotten dressed and were ready to leave the bus. We were talking about flavors of ice cream as we walked, and it had turned into a semi-heated debate about which was the best.  
"Whatever, you are so wrong," he laughed. I looked up the sidewalk, noticing a small group of men standing at the mouth of an alleyway. They had taken notice to Gabe and I, and were watching us as we walked. Just as we were moving around them on the sidewalk, one grabbed my hand while another wolf-whistled.

"You lost, sweetheart?" he chuckled.  
"No, I'm fine," I pulled my hand from his grip, heart beating a million times a minute.  
The man didn't try to grab my hand again, and had seemingly backed off. Until Gabe quickly stepped in front of me defensively.  
"Hey, why don't you back the fuck off?" he said, and for a split second Gabe actually scared me with how fierce he had become.


	4. Chapter 4

I walked across the stage, pretending to accidentally bump into Gabe once I was standing next to him.  
"Hey punk," he ruffled my hair.  
"You ready for tonight?"  
"Oh, are you gonna spank me?!" he asked excitedly. I rolled my eyes, walking past him to backstage, though he quickly followed and fell into step next to me.  
"To answer your question, yes. I am so ready."

That night was going to be the biggest night of the entire tour, and the band would be playing for thousands of screaming fans.  
"I guess you don't have much of a choice," I laughed. "Thanks for the ice cream last night."  
"I like buying pretty girls delicious frozen treats," he smiled down at me, shrugging. He took my iced coffee from my hand, drinking about half of it in one gulp.  
"Hey, I need that!"  
"Maybe you wouldn't if you'd stop hanging out with hot lead singers until the early hours of the morning."  
"Mhm," I rolled my eyes. For some reason, his crass charm was starting to grow on me. I found it more endearing than cringe-worthy.

"You guys were amazing out there tonight," I told the band as we walked to the club. I was already having trouble walking in the heels Victoria had lent me, there was no doubt I'd bust my ass a time or two before the night was over. Especially once I got some alcohol in my system.  
"New York I love you!" screamed Gabe, receiving a few whoops of agreement from passersby. The guys had done some pregaming on the bus, meaning they were already a bunch of belligerents. I suppose they had done a little more than "A little pregaming," in the words of Ryland.

I sat with Victoria, sipping on a few drinks as we watched the guys make fools of themselves, per usual. I watched a beautiful girl approach Gabe, and it became obvious that they knew one another. Gabe gave her a hug, though he seemed stiff and uncomfortable. They were talking for a few moments, before I finally brought it to Victoria's attention.  
"Hey," I elbowed her, "Who's that?"

She followed my gaze and her eyes widened.  
All she said was a quiet, "Fuck."  
"What?!"  
"That's his ex. The one who really fucked him over… Emma, she broke his heart. I've never seen him like that."

I didn't say anything, mostly because I didn't know _what_ to say.  
"What happened?"  
Victoria started telling me the story as we watched them engrossed in conversation. Gabe glanced in my direction, keeping eye contact with me for an extended period of time.  
Supposedly they had dated for a long time, and she had finally gotten sick of waiting around for him to propose, so she cheated on him while he'd been on tour. Victoria said that Gabe had treated her like gold, but she couldn't deal with him being on tour so much. Gabe was absolutely crushed. He went through a period of binge drinking, completely letting himself go until Pete made him get his act together. Apparently Pete's advice had been, "Write about it. Let it fuel your success, not determine your happiness." So Gabe left from the situation hardened, a slight alcoholic, and completely against love.

"She should have known what she was getting herself into," I said angrily. I was furious. "Even being friends with Ryland is hard when he tours so much, but we make it work. That's what love's all about: making it work."  
Victoria sat quietly, until she finally spoke.  
"You like him." It was a statement, not a question.

I didn't answer right away. Did I?  
"I don't know," I put my head into my palms. "I just don't know, Victoria."  
"I know you do, Emma. And it's blatantly obvious he's interested in you. Gabe hasn't kept interest in someone since… well, her," she pointed in their direction. "But there's something different about you, he seems… contained, this tour. He seems like he wants to get his shit together. I mean, he still drinks and acts like a complete ass, obviously. But I don't know, Emma. He's different."

"I barely know him, Vicky."  
"Yeah, but you're getting to know him more every day. And you've seen his worst, and it hasn't scared you away yet. I think that means something," she said wisely.  
I bit my lip, looking over at her.

We changed the subject, both ready to talk about something a little less serious. We were in the middle of a conversation about obsessive fans when Gabe appeared behind us.  
"Hey, are you okay?" asked Victoria quickly.  
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" he laughed, though his face was tense.  
"What was that all about?"  
"She felt it necessary to 'show me what I'm missing,'" he air quoted.

"Bitch," I said before I really had time to think about what I was saying.  
He looked at me, analyzing my face before grabbing my hand.  
"I'm gonna steal your girl, Vic," he said without taking his eyes from me.  
"Go for it," she smiled knowingly at me as Gabe pulled me to the bar.

"Two," Gabe told the bartender, who nodded. Gabe obviously came here often.  
We sat quietly for a moment, waiting for our drinks.  
"So that's her, huh?" I watched her flirt with an older man down the bar, she was glancing in Gabe's direction every few moments.  
"Yep," he said shortly. "It's a mess," he sighed, suddenly looking tired and worn down.  
"Hey," I pulled his chin up so he would look at me. "Everything happens for a reason. That's the most cliché thing I've ever said to anyone, but it's true. You are an incredible fucking human being, Gabriel Saporta. And you will find whoever and whatever you're meant to when the time comes."  
"Thank you." It was sincere. He kissed my forehead.

"You wanna get out of here?" he asked once we had downed our drinks.  
"Please," I laughed. I had definitely had enough excitement for one night.

After I had shimmied out of my dress and changed into a tshirt and sweats, I made my way out to the lounge, where Gabe was nearly passed out on the couch. I sat next to him, running my fingers through his curly hair. He hadn't gotten a haircut since we'd left for tour, meaning his hair was long and more unruly than usual. He opened his eyes, placing a palm on my cheek. Without breaking eye contact, he pulled my hair out of the tie so he could softly run his hands through it.

"I'm sorry," he said softly.  
"For what?" I was thoroughly confused.  
"For being such an idiot all the time," he smiled sadly.  
"You're not an idiot, Gabe. I used to think so. But you're really not."  
"I am. Trust me. Just ask my ex," he said darkly.  
I shook my head. "She doesn't know what she lost."

"And what's that?"  
"You," I replied simply, as though that were a completely reasonable answer.  
He laughed quietly, "Emma," he sighed, lost for words. "I just… I…"  
"What, Gabe? You can say whatever it is, I promise I won't slap you," I winked. He smirked.  
"I don't really know how to say it, though. After everything with Bianca, I just… I was so fucked up. I didn't even want to live anymore. And I sure as hell didn't want to risk what was left of my heart. I'm just scared that when I'm ready to move on, I'll have lost my chance with you… I don't want you to move on because I can't get my shit together."

"Gabe," I laughed in exasperation. "Gabe, I told you that I'd wait for you. I don't care how long it takes. When I met you, and even at the beginning of this tour, I thought you were the biggest asshole I'd ever met. Sometimes I still think that," I punched him playfully. "But you're not. It's just your way of protecting yourself. And I guess I'm kind of the same way. Everyone is scared to get hurt, everyone has got their walls and defensive mechanisms. But I'm here, and I'm waiting. Because I've seen a side of you that I'm realizing is the real you."

He stared at me for what felt like an eternity, and he opened his mouth to speak, but the bus door opened and his loud, drunk bandmates piled onto the bus, interrupting whatever he was about to say. We all sat around the lounge for a while, until finally deciding it was time to get some sleep for the next day.

Just as I was falling asleep, my phone buzzed under my pillow. Squinting at the light, I waited for my eyes to focus, seeing a simple "Thank you" across the screen.

* * *

I hope people are actually reading this. Here's a very late chapter 4, hopefully I'll have more time to write. I feel like I've got some inspiration rolling again, so 5 should be up soonish? I don't want to make promises I can't keep though. Enjoy.


	5. Chapter 5

Before I knew it, tour was coming to a close. Nothing had progressed with Gabe and I, and I felt sick every time I thought about being away from him for an uncertain amount of time. I was currently living in Baltimore, a few hours' drive from NYC. Tour had been the most incredible experience of my life, and I didn't want it to end. I was considering asking Ryland if I could have a permanent place on crew, considering I'd helped out quite a bit backstage, even after the entire band and crew told me I didn't have to. I felt guilty sitting around all of tour while everyone worked their asses off to put on an amazing show night after night. It was my way of saying 'thank you' to Ryland and the band.

It was the last night of tour; everyone was staying in a hotel that night and flying home, wherever that may be, bright and early the next morning. As usual, the band put on an amazing show. There was an extra bit of energy, and I knew it was because it was the last show. Everyone was sad yet also relieved that tour was ending; it was bittersweet. I couldn't deny that I was excited to be back home, sleeping in my own bed. Part of me also knew that I was going to be lonely once I got back to Baltimore. Sure, I had friends, and we definitely went out often. But being on tour, you really get used to being around people 24/7. Even when you're asleep, someone is just a mere foot below or above you.

My main concern, out of any of it, was what was going to happen with Gabe. Would we simply part ways, leaving our friendship/relationship up in the air? Could we make a relationship work, living so far apart? Surely so, people made long distance relationships work on a daily basis. But could _we _handle it? Was he even ready? My stomach was clenched as I stood backstage, watching the band wrap up the show. As I watched their crazy lead singer walk around the stage, singing his heart out, I came to an abrupt and only slightly surprising realization: I had deep feelings for him. We'd gotten so close throughout tour, and I was so sure that something more was going to happen, but it never did. I knew I'd told him that I would wait for him, but how long did he expect me to hang around?

Still in a trance, a soft voice whispered in my ear, "What's wrong, princesa?"  
"Nothing," I said quickly, snapping out of it. He gave me a look, completely calling me out on my blatant lie.  
"That's bullshit, I know it's something. What is it?"  
"I'm just… I'm just really bummed that tour is ending," I said, being relatively truthful. He nodded, wrapping an arm around my shoulders while simultaneously wiping sweat from his face. I wrinkled my nose playfully.  
"Go take a shower, Saporta, you stink!"  
"Only if you come with me," he said huskily, grinding his hips against mine. Everyone backstage was watching us, and I felt my face turn red.  
"Get out of here," I laughed, pushing him toward the hallway. His loud laughter rang through the halls as he raced Suarez to the shower.

"We're going out tonight, right?" I asked.  
"Uh, duh!" said Nate, appearing at my side. "So, what did ya think of tour?"  
"It's like nothing else. I think I'm addicted," I laughed.  
He nodded in agreement, "It's a whole different lifestyle, wouldn't trade it for the world."  
Victoria came between us, wrapping her arms around our shoulders.  
"The last night is always so sad," she said, jutting her lower lip out.  
It was my turn to agree, nodding slowly as Gabe came out of the bathroom with only a towel hanging low on his waist. My eyes scanned down the length of his body, and then back up again, my gaze meeting his. I went red, knowing I'd been caught, but I was surprised when, instead of calling me out, he simply winked before making his way to the bus.

Downing another shot, I looked around. I couldn't help but wonder where Gabe had gone to. My stomach dropped when I saw him chatting up a pretty blonde at the bar; she kept putting her hands on his shoulder and whispering in his ear. He would laugh, and then glance around the large room that was filled with people.

I wasn't sure why it disappointed me so much, I really honestly should have expected this. Gabe was notorious for being a flirt, and I was sure he'd done a lot more, out on the road, partying every night. And it wasn't like we were even together, so really my disappointment was unjustified. Still, I felt the sting of it, and it cut like a knife. Deep.

I quickly starting consuming all the alcohol I could get my hands on, wanting to show Gabe that I could have a good time without him. Within an hour, I was completely trashed, stumbling around the club in my heels.  
"Whoa, you've had way too much," laughed Ryland, steadying me.  
"I'm so sorry about Gabe…" he trailed off, not sure what to say. I didn't answer, my throat feeling tight.  
"You want to go back to the hotel?"  
"No way, Jose. I'm having way too much fun," I patted his shoulder before making my way back to the bar, intending to order a water. However, I soon met a man who struck up a conversation, and he was buying me drinks before I even realized it.

Everything became a blur, and the next thing I know, we're in the bathroom, and he's kissing my neck as his hands slowly made their way up my thighs.  
"Stop," I weakly tried to push him away, but my efforts were futile. His grip became rougher as he held me against him, silencing me with a rough kiss. I pulled away.  
"Stop it!" I screamed, and he pulled me into him. Suddenly, the man is on the floor, and there are people outside the bathroom door.

"Did he hurt you? Emma you have to answer me, did he hurt you?" asked Gabe, shaking my shoulders slightly. He looked frantic.  
"No," I answered, still in a daze. I was way too drunk, and what I wanted most was to lay down. I looked up to see Ryland and Suarez holding Gabe back as security escorted the man out of the club. They released Gabe, and he was at my side in an instant.  
"I'm so sorry," he kissed my forehead, holding both sides of my face in his hands. "I'm so sorry," he said again. "Are you okay?"  
"Yeah, I think so, I just really need to lay down."

"Come on, babe," he said softly, wrapping an arm around my waist and whispering with Ryland before leading me out and to the hotel. Once we reached the hotel room, I collapsed on the bed. I felt frozen in time.  
"You wanna get your pajamas on?" he asked, smoothing my hair across the comforter. I nodded, taking a full five minutes to muster the strength to get off the bed. Once I was moving, I noticed I had started sobering up a little, but not by much.

I cuddled into the bed, and Gabe soon followed. He was at least a foot away, all the way on the other side of the bed.  
"Come here," I whimpered, reaching for him. He scooted closer, wrapping his arms around my shoulders and kissing my head. We lay in silence for a while, and I thought he had fallen asleep. However, I looked up to see that his eyes were open, and his gaze met mine.  
He stroked my hair, tucking it behind my ear before running his fingers across my cheek and down my jaw.

"Que pasa, princesa?" he asked. I didn't answer, though I knew what he had asked. I simply gazed into his eyes, mustering up the courage to ask him a question that I had forgotten about for quite a while, the thing that had gotten me into this mess.  
"Who was that girl, Gabe?" I asked, trying not to let the disappointment come out in my voice, but I could hear sadness in it nonetheless. My voice barely came out as a whisper, raspy and seemingly unused.

He frowned, hesitating to answer.  
"I'm sorry," he choked. "I'm sorry if I hurt you, I'm sorry that that happened to you, I'm just so sorry, Emma."  
"You didn't answer me," I was annoyed now. "Who was she?"  
"I don't know, her name was Bethany. Just some girl I met…" I could tell he was ashamed, but my blood was boiling.  
"Gabe," I slapped his chest as I sat up, startling him. "What the fuck is wrong with you?! I told you I'd wait for you, not sit around and watch you eye fuck random girls in clubs! Do you even understand how much you hurt me tonight? Do you fucking get it?" I slapped his face this time, tears streaming down my cheeks. I stood to leave the room, and got all the way to the door until I felt Gabe pull me back. He stared at me for a second, and then his lips were on mine. I was frozen for a moment, but I soon started kissing back. We had made our way to the bed, and were making out slowly when he pulled back.

"I can't do this while you're drunk. It's not right," he said, slightly out of breath.  
"Why?" I asked simply.  
"Because you deserve better," his lips met mine again, but only for a second and they were gone again. I opened my eyes to see him gazing at me, a troubled look on his face.  
"I wasn't going to fuck her, Emma. I was going to leave the club alone, because I knew I already had a beautiful girl to share my bed with."  
"Flattery isn't going to buy you forgiveness," I said with a smirk, kissing his lips anyhow.

"Emma, I could have killed that guy tonight. I'm serious. I literally saw red, I've never been so mad in my entire life. I had seen you two at the bar, and when I looked again you were gone. Then I heard you scream, and I just…" he trailed off, looking thoroughly shaken.

"Thank you for saving me," I whispered, tears falling down my cheeks. He wiped the tears with his thumbs, kissing me deeply and then resting his forehead against mine.  
"You don't know how long I've been waiting to do this," he sighed, kissing me again. We turned the lights out and curled up in the bed together, whispering quietly in the darkness.

"What's going to happen now?" I had finally gotten the courage to ask.  
"I… I don't want to lose this, Emma," he said softly, running his fingers through my hair.  
"Me either," I whispered, finding his lips with mine before settling into him and drifting off to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

"Yo Gabanti, our plane is about to leave!" yelled Suarez throughout the airport, earning confused looks from passersby.  
"I think I'm gonna catch the next one," replied Gabe, also yelling. "I don't want Emma alone in the airport." Victoria gave a gleeful, knowing smile. Everyone walked toward us to give final goodbyes, promising to see one another soon.

Soon enough, it was just Gabe and I, waiting for my flight to take off. We were chatting idly about anything and everything, and every so often he'd send me into a fit of giggles because of something stupid he'd said, or some ridiculous story he would tell.

"Well," I said, looking at him expectantly as the monotone female voice rang through the terminal, signaling time to start boarding.  
"I guess it's that time," he sighed, getting up on his feet and helping me with my large carry-on.  
"Thank you, so much. Tour was so much better than I ever expected it to be, and I really owe a lot of that to you."  
"It was no problem, we were really glad to have you there. _I _was really glad to have you there," he said.

"Goodbye, Gabe," I said, already feeling choked up. We hugged for a full minute, and I took the opportunity to fully take in his scent, trying to burn it into my brain so I wouldn't forget it until I saw him next.  
"Come see me sometime, yeah?" he asked, looking hopeful.  
"Of course," I whispered, kissing his cheek.  
"You better get on that plane, chica." He hugged me one last time, giving me a sad smile as I walked toward the gate. I turned back to see him standing there, the same smile on his face as he watched me hand my boarding pass to the attendant. I waved back at him before turning and making my way onto the airplane.

_*Four months later*_

"That's exactly what I'm saying," I laughed, pushing Tyler away playfully. I was currently working under the owner of a clothing company, as an assistant/apprentice. I planned to take the company over, as the owner no longer had the time. I had worked in the office for nearly four years, and it felt right that it was my time to take over. Mr. Hudson was pushing 50, and since his knee surgery he could barely get around. He felt it was time to release the company to a young entrepreneur who could really take it where it was meant to be. My business degree had been collecting dust since I'd graduated college, and it was finally time to put everything I had learned to good use.

I was hoping that I could convince Ryland to let our company print Cobra Starship's next round of tshirts, knowing that would boost sales and give us a little more attention as a company. I hadn't seen much of Ryland since tour had ended, though we talked a few times a week. I also stayed in contact with Victoria, and I planned to go to New York to see her that upcoming weekend. Gabe and I hadn't spoken in weeks. I knew I still had feelings for him, but I tried to push them to the side and not let myself be too disappointed by it. What did I honestly expect, anyway? We lived hours apart, and had simply connected on tour, which I blamed on being in such close contact with one another. I felt as though you can only dislike someone but so much if you're around them 24/7.

"Hold on, Jessica, I'll be right with you, I just have to take this call." It was Victoria.  
"Hey girl!" I said happily, sitting in my office chair, relieved to be off my feet.  
"Hey! I can't wait for you to get here, oh my god. There's going to be a huge party because some of our friends are in town, and we're going to raise some serious hell."  
"More than usual?" I laughed.  
"You have no idea," she said excitedly. "How's work?"  
"It's work," I laughed. "Just trying to get everything in order before I take over."  
"That's so exciting! You'll be such a great fit to run the company. Wait what time does your flight leave again?"  
"Oh, I'm driving! Didn't I tell you?"  
"Apparently not," she chuckled. "Damn girl, how long does it take?"  
"It'll be about three and a half hours, maybe a little more. I'm leaving pretty early so you better wake your ass up! We're getting no sleep this weekend!"  
"Oh, I am so ready! Okay, I'll let you get back to work, just wanted to check in!"  
"I'm glad you did. Can't wait to see you guys!"  
"I know someone else you're excited to see," she said smugly.  
"Drop it," I groaned. "Bye!"

Two days later, I was packing up my SUV and heading to New York. Weirdly enough, I was excited for the drive. It would just be me, the road, and my music. Every time a Cobra song came on shuffle, I would pause, start to sing along, and then change it. I didn't need to torture myself. I was certain I'd be seeing Gabe over the weekend, however, and I had no idea what would happen between us. Would we pick right up where we left off? Or would things be awkward and uncomfortable now that we had spent time apart and were no longer attached at the hip? Unsure of what to expect, I tried to let the thoughts leave my mind for the time being. I'd take things as they came.

"Oh my god," she squealed, pulling me into a hug. "I'm so happy to see you!"  
"Hey, stranger," laughed Ryland, also wrapping his long arms around me once Victoria had released me.  
"I'm so happy to be here! Parking was a bitch," I said with a grimace. "I'm going to lose an arm and a leg just to pay for it for the weekend."  
"Yeah, I should have warned you about that, I'll show you a good place to park just a few blocks away, though."  
"So, what's on the agenda?" I asked as I drug my duffle bag up three flights of steps.  
"Tonight is the big party, and oh my god, we have to start getting ready soon. Emma, it's going to be so much fun, literally everyone we know is in town right now, it's going to be insane."  
"Where is this big party being held?" I questioned, sighing as we finally reached a landing and she lead me down the hall, rather than up the next set of steps.

"At a club we always go to, it's usually pretty low-key, but not tonight," she smirked, then opened her door dramatically and allowed me to step into her apartment. It was absolutely adorable. She had decorated the small space so well, and she kept it practically spotless.  
"Wow, Vee! This place is beautiful!" I gushed.  
"Thanks," she blushed a little. "It's small, but it's home. You ready for tonight?!"  
"As ready as I'll ever be," I said with a small sigh.


End file.
